The Kingdom of Varuna has something of a problem; Mephisto, a powerful but utterly deranged sorcerer with mysterious powers, has been spreading his influence across the land, turning men and beast alike into violent, uncontrollable beasts by way of bizarre mechanical keys. He has also enlisted the help of a group of pirates, giving them the task of finding the location of a “secret treasure of Varuna”, that if found would help further his diabolical machinations. Unfortunately for them, Flint, a pirate hunter with vengeance on his mind, has snuck aboard the pirates’ airship and overheard at least some of their plan, and has already set about taking them to task. Little do he or the pirates know, however, that this fated encounter is the first in a series of events that are set to change the world.

Though much lighter in tone and not directly connected to the previous entry in the series, Alundra 2 is a fantastic RPG that still holds up today, with strong, consistent writing, and some very bright and colourful graphics for the time. Definitely worth taking a look at if you’re in need of a non-Square RPG in your collection.